The present invention relates to an improvement of a clamp which holds an elongated member, such as wire, pipe and rod member, such that the elongated member is disposed at a desired position.
Japanese Patent Publication (KOKAI) No. 10-246209 discloses a clamp, which comprises a holding recess section that receives an elongated member, such as wire, pipe and rod member, from a side of the elongated member and elastically holds the elongated member; and a ring made of rubber, which is formed of a pair of ring constituting portions provided at an entrance of fitting the elongated member in the holding recess section such that a pair of ring constituting portions extends between rim portions of the entrance for fitting the elongated member.
In the aforementioned conventional clamp, as the elongated member is fitted into the holding recess section through the entrance for fitting, a pair of ring constituting portions of the rubber ring extending between the rim portions of the entrance is elastically deformed by the elongated member to be situated along an inner surface of the holding recess section, and also, a pair of ring constituting portions elastically deformed as described above closely contacts a peripheral surface of the elongated member, to thereby hold the elongated member in the holding recess section.
According to the conventional clamp, there can be provided the clamp which has the same kind of function and is manufactured at a lower cost as compared with a clamp in which an elastic holding portion closely contacting the peripheral surface of the elongated member fitted into the holding recess section is formed in the holding recess section by so called two-material molding method. However, as the elongated member is fitted into the holding recess section, it is necessary to elastically deform a pair of ring constituting portions extending between the rim portions of the entrance until the pair of the ring constituting portions is situated along the inner surface of the holding recess section. Thus, in fitting the elongated member, resistance thereto occurs.
Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a clamp, in which resistance accompanied by the operation of fitting the elongated member into the holding recess section is decreased as little as possible.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.
To attain the above object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a clamp comprising a holding recess section or holding section, which receives an elongated member, such as wire, pipe and rod member, from a side of the elongated member and elastically holds the elongated member therein; a mounting section to be attached to an object to which the elongated member is mounted; and a rubber-like elastic ring elastically deformed by the elongated member fitted from a fitting entrance of the holding section to be situated along the inner surface of the recess section such that a pair of ring constituting portions located inside the holding recess section closely contacts a peripheral surface of the elongated member. In the clamp as stated above, the rubber-like elastic ring extends between upper engagement portions formed at both sides of the holding recess section, between which the fitting entrance is interposed, through lower engagement portions formed at positions closer to a bottom portion of the holding recess section than the upper engagement portions. The ring constituent portions are bent in advance toward the bottom portion of the holding recess section.
According to the structure stated above, the elongated member can be held in the holding recess section in the condition that the ring constituent portions of the rubber-like elastic ring closely contact the peripheral surface of the elongated member fitted in the holding recess section. As a result, firstly, the elongated member can be prevented from disengaging from the fitting entrance. Also, secondly, the elongated member held in the holding recess section can be prevented from moving toward the longitudinal direction of the elongated member. Thirdly, a vibration which acts on the elongated member held in the holding recess section is absorbed by the rubber-like elastic ring, so as not to generate noises due to the vibration as little as possible. Further, fourthly, the elongated member held in the holding recess section can be held by the rubber-like elastic ring such that the elongated member is prevented from moving, and also, the elongated member can be held by the rubber-like elastic ring in the state that the ring constituting portions of the rubber-like elastic ring mostly contact the surface of the elongated member in the holding recess section.
Thus, even if a rustproof film, such as plating, is applied to the peripheral surface of the elongated member, the rubber-like elastic ring can hold the elongated member in the state that the film is prevented from being peeled off with the passage of time.
Also, as compared with the case in which the rubber-like elastic ring is extended straight between both rim portions of the fitting entrance of the holding recess section, in the clamp of the invention, the resistance of the rubber-like elastic ring accompanied by fitting the elongated member into the holding recess section through the fitting entrance is smaller, so that the operation of fitting the elongated member into the holding recess section can be carried out smoothly.
Further, according to a second aspect of the invention, in the clamp according to the first aspect of the invention, the lower engagement portions are formed at the bottom portion of the holding recess section.
According to the structure of the clamp of the second aspect, the ring constituting portions of the rubber elastic ring, which are situated in the holding recess section, can be bent in advance most largely toward the bottom portion side of the holding recess section, so that the resistance of the ring constituting portions upon fitting the elongated member into the holding recess section can be effectively reduced.
Further, according to a third aspect of the invention, in the clamp according to the first aspect of the invention, an inside of the holding recess section is provided with a raised portion to be surrounded between a pair of the ring constituent portions of the rubber-like elastic ring, which are elastically deformed along the recess section inner surface of the holding recess section by the elongated member fitted from the fitting entrance of the holding recess section, to thereby closely contact the peripheral surface of the elongated member.
According to the structure of the clamp of the third aspect, even if a force for moving the elongated member in the longitudinal direction of the elongated member is applied to the elongated member fitted and held in the holding recess section, the applied force allows one of the ring constituting portions of the rubber-like elastic ring to abut against the raised portion to resist against the force. Accordingly, the movement of the elongated member due to the application of the force described above can be prevented significantly.